The first artificial endocrine pancreas has been marketed by Miles Laboratories, Elkart, Ind. under the trademark BIOSTATOR. The device consists of a double lumen catheter for the continuous drawing of blood samples, used for blood glucose determinations and of a pump for infusing insulin and/or glucose into the examined patient. This device requires the removal of about 50 cc of blood which are wasted after the measurements. The apparatus is of large dimensions, and the individual must be confined to his bed. Further, the measurements are not satisfactorily accurate.
The device, Betalike, manifactured by Esaote Biomedica, Genoa, Italy has provided some improvements because it utilizes small hollow fibers hemofilter for blood ultrafiltration. Hence the measurements are more accurate and blood is reinfused into the patient, the determinations being carried out on ultrafiltered liquid. It is also of smaller dimensions than the BIOSTATOR, but still it cannot be worn by the patient, which again must be confined to his bed.
Other similar devices have been proposed by Gambro, Lund, Sweden, which uses a dialysis cartridge instead of hemofiltration, and Nikkiso, Japan, in which apparatus blood drawing and glucose analysis is not continuous but intermittent.
All these devices are not wearable by the patient for their dimensions and weight. Further, they all need removal of blood from the patient for the analysis.